SC Freiburg target Eintracht Frankfurt striker Igor Matanovic | OneFootball

Just days after the conclusion of the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign, SC Freiburg remain quite proactive in strengthening their squad ahead of next year’s European adventure. The Breisgauer officially confirmed their first summer signing yesterday. Reliable sources suggest that two more are coming soon. Another report suggests that a promising striker is also being targeted.

The long-rumored deal to bring in Burkinabé winger Cyriaque Irié was officially confirmed yesterday. Confirmation of two new arrivals – Hertha BSC striker Derry Scherhant and Brøndby IF winger Yuito Suzuki – should not be long in forthcoming. It also looks to be the case that the Schwarzwaldverein wishes to add another center forward promptly.

Sky Germany reports that Eintracht Frankfurt’s Igor Matanovic constitutes an SCF target. The 22-year-old finally earned some meaningful minutes for his parent club this year, but could be looking for a change of scenery this summer in order to secure better playing prospects. Matanovic could replace the likely-to-depart Michael Gregoritsch.

Eintracht signed Matanovic from FC St. Pauli in autumn 2021, immediately loaning him back out to the Kiezkicker. He would end up spending two years in Hamburg The now five-times-capped Croatian international truly began to thrive in his third SGE loan stint in the 2. Bundesliga with Baden-Württemberg’s Karlsruher SC.

He scored 14 goals and provided seven assists with the KSC during the 2023/24 second division campaign. Eintracht were happy to welcome Matanovic back this year, with both head coach Dino Toppmöller and SGE board-member-for-sport Markus Krösche proclaiming him an important player for the future.

Toppmöller started Matanovic thrice in the opening three rounds of the Europa League group phase in addition to handing him his first Bundesliga start against Holstein Kiel on matchday five. By early October, Matanovic had gotten his name on the Eintracht scoresheet in the Bundesliga, Europa League, and domestic cup.

Once Matanovic made his presence felt across all three competitions, Toppmöller famously proclaiming that he wanted Omar Marmoush, Hugo Ekitiké, and Matanovic all on the pitch at the same time as part of an unstoppable attacking trident. Unfortunately, this never came to pass. Despite Marmoush’s departure.

Matanovic made his last league start in December. Injuries and form issues meant that he only logged 16 minutes in two substitute appearances in the entire Rückrunde. Freiburg could easily ply the €6m-valued footballer away from a club at which his prospects are currently diminishing.

GGFN | Peter Weis